1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical connector with a short circuit shunt.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In applications such as automotive airbags or seatbelt pretensioners, it is typical to provide electrical connectors with shunting contacts that short circuit conductors when connectors are uncoupled to prevent accidental ignition. Typically, short circuiting is performed by a separate spring contact comprising two or more resilient cantilever beam contact arms interconnecting adjacent terminals of the connector. These contacts require a separate cavity and retention means in a connector housing, thereby increasing the volume and cost of the assembly. Furthermore, insertion of terminals into their connector cavities is more difficult due to the presence of the shunt contacts that bias against the terminal, whereby a certain spring force is required to ensure reliable operation.
It is also typical to provide electrical connectors for the applications mentioned above, with secondary locking means for securely retaining terminals in the connector housing cavities. The secondary locking means are usually only engageable once the terminals are fully inserted into the cavities and locked with the primary locking means.